Purgatory Flats

Sign at the Trailhead.

Purgatory Flats is a nice and easy hike that is great for the entire family. It is easy to get to and one of those rare hikes that proceeds downhill from the get go (until you hike back out). It was perfect for me as I severely sprained my left ankle about a month ago on a trail run and this was the first hike I attempted after a nasty sprain. The hike slowly meanders through numerous aspen groves and arrives in the valley through which Cascade Creek flows.

Directions: From downtown Durango, head north on Highway 550 approximately 25 miles to Tacoma Drive. Look for the entrance to Durango Mountain Resort on the left side of the road, and Tacoma Drive is directly across from the entrance on the right (east) side of 550.

View of Engineer Mountain from parking lot.

Take a right onto Tacoma Drive and follow the road for maybe a quarter of a mile and you will see a dirt parking lot on the left side of the road next to a small lake. Park in this lot and hike back up the road a few hundred feet across the bridge to the trailhead, which is on the opposite side of the road from the parking lot.

Trail: The trail starts out nice and easy passing by a registration sign for the Weminuche Wilderness Area. After the sign, the trail descends down a number of relatively steep switchbacks and then it follows along side Purgatory Creek. After about a half-mile, the trail crosses over Purgatory Creek on a make-shift stone pathway. After crossing the creek, the trail gets steeper for a bit as travels through a number of aspen groves, which would be beautiful during the peak fall color.

Crossing over Purgatory Creek.

Unfortunately, I missed the peak by a few weeks and most of the colorful leaves had already fallen.  After about 1.2 miles, the trail begins a series of switchbacks as it makes a final descent to Purgatory Flats. At 1.7 miles, the trail reaches Purgatory Flats and splits left and right.

If you turn to the left, you can follow the trail upstream and along Cascade Creek. If you turn and follow the trail to the right, heading downstream, you can hike all the way to the confluence of Cascade Creek and the Animas River, where there is a nice pedestrian bridge over the Animas.  If you time it right, you can watch the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Train go by.

View of Purgatory Flats with the Needles in the Background.

Purgatory Flats is a large, flat area along side Cascade Creek that has plenty of places to hang out with the kids for a day of exploring or to camp overnight as I viewed numerous fire rings just off the trail.

Cascade Creek flowing through the valley.

A bit of fall color still left across the valley.

Map of hike.

Elevation profile of hike.